Q: MacBook Pro Retina display burn-in?

Well, my computer is over a month now, LG screen. IR showed up after 2 weeks, but didn't get bad and I have to set the computer up to see it, but it is there. Its also had been really hot in So Cal and it was much less noticable at work where AC is on instead of home.  Now wheather has turned cooler when not at work, and the IR is actually better.  So I will continue to monitor the situation.  I am a photographer and it is important, but has not effected my work.  However you should know, if you beieve people on this forum, and there's no reason not to, many that have this problem get really worse over time.  So its a possibility that it could get much worse.

Okay guys, now I have some very interesting thing here. I ordered two rMBP, thinking that I can get more chances of getting a good screen. I was curious how different will they be in terms of serial numbers/week of production. And guess what. They are like twins! There is one letter difference in the both serials and Appleserialinfo reports:
- This unit was number 1169 to be built that week. (1st one)
- This unit was number 1168 to be built that week. (2nd one)

So does it mean that Apple sends those devices so percisely according to the numers of production? If I would order 10 - I would get 10 consequencial serial numbers?

One way or another - we will also have an answer whether there is any correlation between the production day/week/serial number and display manufacturer. If I get two different panels then it means it's completely random!

Barry Fisher wrote:

 

Just taking my inforamtion from posters in this thread.  Seems there have been several instances of yellow screened Samsungs and also some with bad pixels and hot spots.  Just saying:)  But good for you that yours doesn't.

Which posters? I believe SoundEvolution had a problem but don't remember any others???

I love how you chime in and you DONT EVEN HAVE a Samsung with yellow tint -- plus you tell people to enjoy their yellow tinted Samsungs??? Really? Do you work for Apple? Do you have a personal vendetta against Samsung? Very weird....

No. To get a really good handle on exactly what's happening, try this:

• Set your desktop background to the darkest of the 3 solid gray backgrounds and then use "Grab" (Capture > Selection) to make a CD-case-sized image (.TIFF) from the background.
  
  
• Change your desktop to one that does NOT show image rentention easily.
  
  
• Fill your screen with the checkerboard image for a suitable time (whatever it currently takes for IR to usually show).
  
  
• Close the checkboard image and open the gray square image you created with "Grab".
  
  
• Move the gray square around. If you have IR, you will see it easily as you move the gray square around.

@srhwang - Calibrate your display

Option-F2 > Color > Calibrate > Check Expert Mode

When you get to target white point uncheck - Use native white point - move the slider until white.

Report back with results.

scottpcs wrote:

 

If the losing money part wasn't an issue then I'd send it back for a refund and order a new one at the same time. Unfortunately I would be losing a fair bit of pocket money over it so at the moment it isn't something I'm considering.

 

What I'm most afraid of is that if I leave it until after the 14 days then I'm completely at the mercy of a so-called Genius to evaluate whether the IR is bad enough to have the screen replaced. I'm not sure I want to do that but to be honest I don't see how I have any other option at present, short of losing out on £200 - £300.

You're probably in a more difficult situation than most of us because of the way you purchased the rMBP. I don't know the best course of action, but if it were me, I would take the unit to a Genius Bar before the 14-days. If they agree to replace it and you get a Samsung screen, you're golden. If they will not replace it (or if they do but you get another LG, though that seems unlikely given all the reports here) then return it for a refund and perhaps purchase something else (admittedly not ideal, but at least you won't have a machine with IR).

scottpcs wrote:

 

I did wonder, however, if I told Applecare that the IR exists (I've spoken at length to them about why all LG screens will exhibit this issue) then they might just set up a repair for me at the nearest Apple Store without having to show the genius this IR problem. Certainly it's on record with Applecare that I would not accept an LG screen whether it had IR or not so it's not like they wouldn't (or shouldn't?) understand.

You would think that it would be that easy, but I really doubt it will work like that (AppleCare notes in the case that the Genius should replace the screen and the Genius just blindly follows the case notes). I had an iPad replacement just recently and while speaking with tier 2 phone support the guy basically told me he could send me to the Genius Bar but he couldn't control how they would handle the situation even with case notes.

I still think your best bet is to take it to an Apple Store for a screen replacement. If they refuse, simply return it for a refund. Here's the thing though: If you're still within your 14-days, they're likely just to replace the screen to appease you. Think about it this way: They could spend $700 (probably not their cost, but it's what shows up on the repair orders) to make you happy, or lose $2500. It's simple business math: keeping $1800 is better than losing $2500. You're within your 14-days so you hold all the cards in the deck.

Hello,

There's something that we seem to have overlooked (or at least I haven't seen it discussed): Apple's supply chain.

For each new product that Apple creates, they usually have the BOM (bill of materials) bought and paid for, for the entire life-cycle of the device, before they even build the first one. So, for instance, if they plan to sell 100 million iPhone 5's before the iPhone 6 comes out, they've already bought all of the parts for those 100 million iPhone 5's. Tim Cook is the master of the supply chain, and deservedly so. That's why the other manufacturers are having such a hard time coming up with an iPad-killer, because they can't get the price down and still make a profit. Apple drives the prices up for everybody else.

What does that mean to the customers on this thread? It means that Apple is probably stuck with a lot of crummy LG displays that they need to get rid of. I'm almost certain that all rMBP LG Retina displays will experience image retention over time, but severe cases like mine and Dr. Sly's (and others) might indeed be rare. The milder cases of LG IR will likely go unnoticed for the most part, so Apple can hedge it's bets and simply keep selling them until they're gone. The complainers will either get their screens replaced with a Samsung display (which seems likely) OR they will keep playing the lottery every 14-days until they get a new rMBP with a Samsung display (which seems statically less likely).

So, it seems to me, if I were Apple (and had less scruples), I would set aside all of the Samsung displays (which there seems to be a lot less of) for repairs to placate the "picky" people (i.e. people like us who want what they paid for) and I'd set aside all (or at least most) of the LG displays for production (where there'd be a better chance that they'd get into the hands of customers who wouldn't notice the IR issue). If Apple is thinking like this, and if they've made adjustments based on just such a mindset, then Samsung displays are likely even less prevalent in production units than they were before. If that's what's happening, then it may be better to hold onto an otherwise perfect rMBP with LG display until after the 14-day waiting period and then take it in for repair.

Anyway, that's just something to think about.

Dave Z wrote:

 

"I still think your best bet is to take it to an Apple Store for a screen replacement. If they refuse, simply return it for a refund. Here's the thing though: If you're still within your 14-days, they're likely just to replace the screen to appease you. Think about it this way: They could spend $700 (probably not their cost, but it's what shows up on the repair orders) to make you happy, or lose $2500. It's simple business math: keeping $1800 is better than losing $2500. You're within your 14-days so you hold all the cards in the deck".

 

I agree. If Apple was smart, they'd do as you suggested Dave.

So, Scottpc, if you rMBP is otherwise perfect, see the Apple store will replace your screen with part # 661-7171. If they won't, tell them you'll just return the whole thing and they'll lost even more money. If they sstill won't do it, then try another Apple authorized dealer that is certified to replace Retina displays. If those guys won't do it...well..return your rMBP and jump back on the merry-go-round. Or, possibly (and I'm hesitant to suggest this), wait until after the 14-day period to take it in for repair. If your IR is really bad, your chances are pretty good. By the way, did I mention that I'm hesitant to suggest the latter?

@canuck1970

very intriguing analysis and it does make sense.  If apple hedges 50-50 btw LG & Sumsung, even if for the inital production batch, they should still have quite a stockpile to clear.  To minimise wastage, pushing out LGs to unsuspecting consumers (and test luck) may seem an option, at the expense of Apple's reputation though.

On a similar note, I wonder if Apple recycles those returned LG displays for future Applecare-extended customers. Say ... if an Applecare customer checks in with a faulty display, I wonder if Apple uses the recycled display on them and bet on the "repaired" display being able to last till the Applecare tenure is out. Just musing on theories as that happened to my 2008 iMac.  I got my iMac's LCD replaced near the third year.  However, it lasted only a pathetic additional 1 year, which put me nicely outside of the 3-year Applecare tenure.

So does it mean that Apple sends those devices so percisely according to the numers of production? If I would order 10 - I would get 10 consequencial serial numbers?

It's probaby that the odering system priorotizes orders on a first come first server basis. If you order 10 units at once you are likely to get 10 consecutive serial numbers. If you wait long enough between orders, other customers take those numbers.

Canuck1970 wrote:

 

There's something that we seem to have overlooked (or at least I haven't seen it discussed): Apple's supply chain.

 

[...]

 

It means that Apple is probably stuck with a lot of crummy LG displays that they need to get rid of.

Sort of reminds me of this article: http://www.macrumors.com/2011/01/20/apples-3-9-billion-investment-was-in-lcd-dis plays/

Which, while we assume is for the iPad displays, simply illustrates that Apple has long-term strategies in mind for their business.

It means that Apple is probably stuck with a lot of crummy LG displays that they need to get rid of. [...] so Apple can hedge it's bets and simply keep selling them until they're gone. The complainers will either get their screens replaced with a Samsung display (which seems likely) OR they will keep playing the lottery every 14-days until they get a new rMBP with a Samsung display (which seems statically less likely).

I have a distinct feeling that Samsung is the auxiliary supplier: filling the small gap between what LG is capable of producing and what Apple needs. It's my impression that LG is supplying the vast majority of displays. I also think Apple is setting aside some Samsung displays now for the purpose of replacements for those who complain.

Still, Apple is not stupid, I'm sure there are clauses in their contract with LG to handle defects or design/production issues. I think the bigger issue at play here is that if LG makes the majority of displays for this model, and Apple drops LG, where is Apple going to get displays? Samsung is probably not in a position to produce the volume Apple needs. So, in that respect, Apple (and by proxy, us) are stuck.

Canuck1970 wrote:

 

"(which seems statically less likely)"

I meant statistically.

Locoroco wrote:

 

"at the expense of Apple's reputation though"

Exactly.

Canuck1970 wrote:

 

 

So, it seems to me, if I were Apple (and had less scruples), I would set aside all of the Samsung displays (which there seems to be a lot less of) for repairs to placate the "picky" people (i.e. people like us who want what they paid for) and I'd set aside all (or at least most) of the LG displays for production (where there'd be a better chance that they'd get into the hands of customers who wouldn't notice the IR issue). If Apple is thinking like this, and if they've made adjustments based on just such a mindset, then Samsung displays are likely even less prevalent in production units than they were before. If that's what's happening, then it may be better to hold onto an otherwise perfect rMBP with LG display until after the 14-day waiting period and then take it in for repair.

 

Anyway, that's just something to think about.

Canuck,

I agree whole heartedly.  That way they appease us picky people and they don't have to go to the expense of a general recall for people who have never noticed their IR.   And doesn't that seem to be what they're doing?  The ratio of Samsung to LG screens seems to be the same for new machines, but the number of replaced screens that are Samsung seems to have gone up dramatically.

The only problem with waiting until you are out of the 14 day no questions asked period is that you lose control and have to rely on Apple to do the right thing.

Dave Z wrote:

 

"Samsung is probably not in a position to produce the volume Apple needs. So, in that respect, Apple (and by proxy, us) are stuck"

How eager would you be to strike a manufacturing deal with a company that just sued you for $1-billion?

I think Apple was a little too eager to burn bridges with companies that it characterized as enemies (Samsung for copying Apple's technology and Google for enabling them to do so with Android). The result: crummy rMBP screens and crummy iOS maps. Nice move Apple. Haven't you ever heard the saying, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer". Apparently not.